Revelation: The Woman and the Dragon

Author’s Thoughts

Author’s Insights Pending

Author’s Paraphrase

Revelation 12:1–2 A great sign appeared in the sky—a woman clothed with the brilliance of the sun, the moon beneath her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head. Being pregnant, she screamed in pain to give birth.

Revelation 12:5 She gave birth to a male child, who was destined to rule the nations with a rod of iron and ascend to the throne of God.

King James

Revelation 12:1–2 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

Revelation 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

Who was the great red dragon?

Author’s Thoughts

Author’s Insights Pending

Author’s Paraphrase

Revelation 12:3–4 Another wonder appeared in the heavenly realm: a great red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, with a crown upon each head. His tail dragged a third of the stars in the sky and cast them to Earth. The dragon stood before the woman, who was about to give birth, ready to devour her child.

King James

Revelation 12:3–4 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

Where in the wilderness might the woman have fled?

Author’s Thoughts

Author’s Insights Pending

Author’s Paraphrase

Revelation 12:6 The woman fled to a place that God had prepared in the wilderness, where she could be nourished for 1,260 days.

Revelation 12:14 The woman received wings like an eagle to fly into the wilderness away from the serpent and be nourished for 1,260 days.

King James

Revelation 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

Revelation 12:14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

What was the nature of the battle in the spiritual realm?

Author’s Thoughts

Author’s Insights Pending

Author’s Paraphrase

Revelation 12:7–8 The spiritual realm became a battleground for intense warfare. Michael and his messengers fought against the dragon and his messengers. The dragon lost the war, so he and his messengers were expelled.

King James

Revelation 12:7–8 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

What was the result of the dragon’s defeat?

Author’s Thoughts

Author’s Insights Pending

Author’s Paraphrase

Revelation 12:8–10 The dragon lost the war, so he and his messengers were expelled. The great dragon was cast down to Earth, that serpent of old called the devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world, his messengers with him. A booming voice from above said, “Salvation and power has come through God’s dominion and Christ’s authority. Satan, who has been accusing the people day and night, is now cast down.

King James

Revelation 12:8–10 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

How did people overcome Satan?

Author’s Thoughts

Author’s Insights Pending

Author’s Paraphrase

Revelation 12:11 “The people have overcome Satan by the sacrifice of the Lamb, by giving their testimonies, and by complete surrender to God’s will, even unto death.”

King James

Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

How does the devil know his time is short?

Author’s Thoughts

Author’s Insights Pending

Author’s Paraphrase

Revelation 12:12 “Let all who live in the heavens rejoice, but woe to those on land and sea, for the devil has come to you with great passion because he knows his time is short.”

King James

Revelation 12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

In what way did the dragon persecute the woman?

Author’s Thoughts

Author’s Insights Pending

Author’s Paraphrase

Revelation 12:13 When the dragon saw himself exiled to Earth, he persecuted the woman who had given birth.

King James

Revelation 12:13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.

How did the earth swallow a river?

Author’s Thoughts

Author’s Insights Pending

Author’s Paraphrase

Revelation 12:15–16 The serpent spewed a river of water from his mouth, intending to carry the woman away in a flood, but the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the flood.

King James

Revelation 12:15–16 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.

What kind of war did the dragon wage against the woman’s descendants?

Author’s Thoughts

Author’s Insights Pending

Author’s Paraphrase

Revelation 12:17 Angry with the woman, the dragon waged war with her descendants—those who kept God’s commandments and lived by the message of Jesus Christ.

King James

Revelation 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.